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What are suicidal feelings?

Suicidal feelings are when a normal feeling of being very down and not sure where to turn become so deep and intense that the only solution seems to be to end your life.

With nearly 25% of young people feeling suicidal at least once in their lives, it is very common and there are lots of ways of dealing with it and lots of people who have come out the other side.

A number of things can lead up to suicidal feelings but it’s more likely if you’re

depressed, or have another serious mental illness

using drugs or alcohol, particularly if you’re upset

very anxious about the future or today’s pressures

under pressure from family or your peers

Suicidal feelings can also dominate your ability to think so much that it makes it hard to understand that you can be helped, whatever the problem is.

Comedian and actor Stephen Fry has said that his bipolar disorder led to him contemplating suicide almost daily but that working with a psychiatrist and taking the right medication has helped a lot.

What to do about feeling suicidal

If you talk about feeling suicidal you will able to get the help and treatment you need that will greatly reduce the size of your problems and with it, reduce the risk of suicide. There are some warning signs of suicidal feelings:

always talking or thinking about death

deep depression

deep sadness

loss of interest

trouble sleeping and eating that gets progressively worse

comments about feeling helpless or worthless

self harm

Just because you experience one or more of these symptoms, it doesn’t mean you definitely have suicidal feelings but if you feel these are linked to a desire to end your life, talk to your GP.

How you can be helped

If you have hurt yourself or think you might be about to hurt yourself, call 999

Take the first step – if you have suicidal feelings, talk to someone you trust. If you are worried they can’t help speak to your GP.

If you're under 25 you can talk to The Mix for free on the phone, by email or on their webchat. You can also use their phone counselling service, or get more information on support services you might need.